Bottle stoppers



Jan. 8, 1963 F. HOFFMANN 3,072,277

BOTTLE STOPPERS Filed Dec- 8, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5'; I F191? 11 19 fg 10 4 I FHofizzzmzv HOFFMANN BOTTLE STOPPERS Jan. 8, 1963 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed D60- 8" 1959 Inventor? 5 9 .H 6 7 W y W 5 ,6? Z 7m7 rV v W....H....\ 5 I "w W", 6 \N k 1 m J United iitates PatentOfilice 3,072,277 Patented Jan. 8, 1963 3,072,277 BOTTLE STOPPER FranzHoifmann, Nordiingen, Bavaria, Germany, assignor to Metailwerke AdolfHopf K.G., Nordlingen, Bavaria, Germany Filed Dec. 8, 1959, Ser. No.858,165 4 Claims. (Cl. 215-41) The invention is in respect of a bottlewith a stopper which is locked against becoming loose and is in the formof a stopper cap which holds an elastically compressible sealing washerfirmly on the bottle top, which, on the inner facing of its cap casingis provided with several inwardly projecting locking tags which, whenthe stopper is pressed on the bottle top-which has collar projectingradially outwards first of all give, resiliently, and then, by snappinginto place behind the collar, hold the stopper cap complete with sealingwasher secure in its position of closure on the bottle top.

Stoppers with resilient lock-tags such as have become known up to thepresent time have lock-caps pressed out of springy sheet metal, thelock-tags being inwardly cut out of the stopper caps superficies, whilstthe sealing insert is an elastically compressible washer which liesflush against the base of the stopper cap. Such stoppers have twodrawbacks, viz:

(1) The lock-tags, which are able to be reached from the outside throughthe cut-out sections, can easily be pulled out of their snap-in positionand so the stopper can be released and, if need be, pressed back onagain, without damaging the cap.

(2) The seal insert which, when the stopper is pressed home, has firstof all to be compressed very powerfully so as to enable the lock-tags tosnap-to into their locked position and which then expands again somewhatand holds the ends of the lock-tags securely in their snap-to position,does not, as a general rule, aflord suflicient guarantee that there willbe an absolutely faultless sealing of the mouth of the bottle.

The purpose of the invention is to avoid the drawbacks as stated abovein respect of the known-type stoppers which have resilient lock-tags; itconsists essentially in the fact that the stopper cap-made ofhard-resilient plastichas lock-tags in the vicinity of the bottom edgeof its non-interrupted cap casing and, along its top edge, a radialflange projecting inwards in each case, which has, vertically abovethose points at which the lock-tags are located, gaps which correspondto the width of the tags and whose ring-sector shaped flange sections,located between the gaps, serve as a holder for the sealing insertswhich are made of relatively soft-elastic material.

The employment of a relatively hard-resilient plastic for themanufacture of the stopper cap with closed cap casing brings with it theadvantage that the stopper itself is proof against corrosion and that,because of the sprung lock tags being arranged along the inner facing ofa closed cap casing there is no possibility of the tags being forcedback and hence, there is no possibility of any unauthorised opening ofthe stopper without breaking the brittle casing of the stopper cap.

This execution does however, out of reasons to do with the actualmanufacture, necessitate the stopper caps being constructed with an openbase and it requires its being provided with gaps above the particularlyspring tags in the radial flange which serves as a holder for thesealing insert in order that the proud dies in the press or injectionmould-serving to form these tagsare able to get right through to thespring tags in an axial direction along the inner facing of thesuperficies.

In a further development of the subject of the invention it isrecommended that the sealing insert, which has to be introduced into thestopper cap by temporarily forcing the lock-tags apart, shall bedesigned not as a washer or disc-shaped seal but as a stopper with anaxially compressible flange. With such a sealing insert the stopper-likepart of the seal performs the task of sealing off the mouth of thebottle whilst the axially compressible flange supplies the axialpressure necessary for pressing in, and locating, the sprung lock-tagsin their catches.

The flange on the sealing insert can either be a powerful radial flangewhich is capable of being compressed elastically by a fair amount; itcan also however be executed as a ring of cylindrical or conicalsuperficies lying coaxially with the stoppers axis as from a radialflange which is held less powerfully, the said ring being formed alongthe underside of the radial flange and lying with its edge resilientlytouching the end facing of the mouth of the bottle.

In order that the stopper cap, complete with sealing insert, shall havea smooth finish, the sealing insert should, at those points at which itbears against the stopper caps ring-sector shaped flange section, beprovided with ring-sector shaped recesses adapted to the dimensions andthe strength of these flange sections and in which the stopper capsflange sections are so countersunk that their free surface is flush withthe free surface of the sealing insert.

The press-on stopper complete with lock-tags in accordance with theinvention is particularly suitable for injection stoppers in which thesealing insert has a hollow stopper and, on this, a hollow teatprojecting. outwards which can be opened in a manner quite well known ofitself, by cutting off the end of the teat-usually at a place previouslymarked.

In order to enable a stopper in accordance with the invention to be usedas a guaranteed stopper which, at every attempt to remove the cap fromthe bottle mouth, is damaged in every event, it is suflicient, as amaterial from which it shall be made, to select a hard plastic and tomake the cap casing in a thick-walled execution, a further usefulmeasure-to prevent the introduction under the bottom edge of the stoppercap of any implement capable of being used to force the spring tagsbackbeing for the bottle neck to be given, at the point at which, in thestoppers closed position, the bottom cap walling is located, an outwardsprojecting circular ing or collar of about the same diameter as thestopper caps casing.

When the stopper cap of the stopper in accordance with the invention isused as an easily destructible mark of guarantee it is not absolutelynecessary for the sealing insert to constitute, directly, the base ofthe stopper cap complete with sprung lock-tags. It is also possible fora special stopper cap to be used which, for its part, contains thesealing insert, and for this special stopper cap to be equipped with anexternal collar which is fixed by the ring-sector shaped flange sectionof the stopper cap. In such an event the stopper cap can also be a screwcap which is capable of being screwed on to a thread on the bottle neckprovided above the bottles outwards projecting collar. The stoppercap--complete with the spring lock-tagthen constitutes nothing more thana guarantee ring which hasto be destroyed when loosening the stoppercap.

The invention will now be further described with reference to theaccompanying drawings which illustrate two examples of execution ofpress-on stopper together with bottle mouths adapted to these stoppers.In these drawings:

'FIGURE 1 shows a plan view of a cap stopper in accordance with theinvention;

FIGURE 2 shows an angled axial section through the cap stopper inaccordance with FIGURE 1, taken along the section line 11-11;

FIGURE 3 shows an individual representation of the stopper cap of thecap stopper in accordance with FIG- URES 1 and 2, with reference towhich there is, at the same time, an explanation of the method ofmanufacture;

FIGURE 4 shows the diagrammatic representation of the sealing insertsuch as is used in the cap stopper in accordance with FIGURES l and 2;

FIGURE 5 shows an injection stopper in vertical an gled axial sectionsimilar to FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 6 shows an application of the stopper cap in accordance with theinvention as a safety-first guarantee for a normal screw cap.

The cap stopper as represented in FIGURES l to 4 is intended for usewith bottles which have a specially designed neck. The bottle neck 1(FIGURE 2) has, on its orifice, a collar 2 projecting radially outwards,the underside 3 of which is sharply recessed. Underneath the collar 2the diameter of the bottle neck widen out again in a partially conicalsection 4, this being followed by an outwards projecting circular lug 5.

The cap stopper 6 represented in FIGURE 2 in its working positionconsists of the stopper cap proper 7 and the sealing insert 8. Thestopper cap 7 has a cylindrical casing 9 formed on to which, in thevicinity of its bottom edge 10, are spring tags 11 which projectobliquely inwards, whilst on the top edge of the stopper caps casing 9only one inwardly projecting radial flange 12 is provided which, at anyparticular time (cf. FIGURE 1 and FIGURE 3), vertically above thosepoints at which the spring tags 11 are located, has gaps 13corresponding to the width of these tags and, with its ring-sectorshaped flange sections 12a, 12b, 12c and 12d located between the gaps13, forms a stop or holder respectively for the elastically compressiblesealing insert 8 made of relatively soft-elastic material.

The stopper cap 7 represented on its own in FIGURE 3 is made ofhard-elastic plastic, e.g. polystyrol or hard PVC by press or injectioncasting. Its casing 9 is completely closed; the formation of thelock-tags 11 in a relatively simple press or injection mould, is easilypossible because of the gaps 13 in the inwardly projecting flange 12 ofthe stopper cap 7.

In FIGURE 3 the mould sections of an injection mould for the manufactureof the stopper cap 7 are indicated in faint broken lines.

The moulds two outer sections A and B in whose line of separation theinjection channel lies, contain axial mould inserts which interlock witheach other by a greater or lesser amount. Fitted in section A is ahollow cylindrical insert E constructed so as to have, on its underside,dies D arranged in a crenelated manner, whilst a hollow cylinder F withcorresponding notches is located in the moulds bottom section B. Themiddle, cylindrical shaped, main die G passes through both hollowcylinders.

With their inclined front facings the crenelated dies D of the hollowcylinder E shape the top facing of the spring tags 11 whilst therecesses in the hollow cylinder F-whose solid sections of walling cuttheir way past the hollow cylinders dies Dlimit the underside of thespring tags 11.

The resilience and durability of the particular plastic used in themanufacture of the stopper cap must obviously be so adapted to thestrength of the spring tags 11 that, when the stopper cap is beingpressed home, the spring tags are in fact able to be pushed easily overthe outer bead 2 of the mouth of the bottle without losing theirspringiness in the process. As a general rule, plastics such aspolystyrol, hard PVC and, if necessary, modified cellulose derivativesare so elastic as to enable this stipulation easily to be complied with.

The sealing insert 3 is made, preferably, of poly-ethylene andconstructed as a stopper seal; at the top end of the stopper 14 whichpasses inside the neck of the bottle, there is an outwards projectingflange 15, formed on to the underside of which there is a slightlyconical designed annular rib 16 whichas can be seen in FIGURE 1-when thestopper cap is pressed on to the mouth of the bottle 1, is compressedresiliently, its bottom edge being pressed outwards slightly in a radialdirection. The rib 16, which runs all the way round, forms not only aresilient member which, when the lock tags 11 have snapped-to behind thecollar 2 on the bottles mouth, all the way round, pulls the end of thelock tags firmly against the collars sharply recessed underside 3, andthus holds the cap stopper firm, elastically, on the mouth of thebottle; moreover, the rib provides an additional seal all round.

The flange 15 of the sealing insert 8 is provided, on its top side, withring-sector shaped recesses 17 which are so laid out and, in theirdimensions so matched to the ring-sector shaped flange sections 12a to12c of the stopper cap 7, that the top 18 of the middle portion of thesealing insert 8, and the top of the sectors of the stopper cap 7sflange 12 lie flush in one plane.

The stopper 14 is executed as a hollow stopper; the cavity 19 makes fora saving in material and increases the stoppers elasticity. On thesuperficies of the stopper 14 there is at least one sealing bead 20running the whole way round, the function of which is to improve thestoppers seal in the mouth of the bottle and at the same timeas a resuitof the reduction in the diameter of the bottom end of thestopperfacilitate the introduction of the sealing stopper into the neckof the bottle.

In order to ensure that the sealing insert 8 is properly aligned in thestopper cap 7 while actually introducing the stopper into the bottleneck-and so ensure that the recesses 17 each coincide with therespective ring-sector shaped flange sections 12a to 12d, as shown inFIGURE 4 it is equipped along its circumference with four notches 21which engage on axial guide strips 22, FIGURE 1, of the stopper cap 7scasing 9.

It is also possible for sunken notches 22' to be provided parallel tothe axial guide strips 22; then, for locating the seal insert in thestopper cap, the insert is given projec tions on its circumference whichare located in the axial notches 22 arranged along the stopper capsinner superficies and corresponding to the projections.

Finally it is possible, without further ado, for the outside of the capcasing, in a manner quite well known of itself, to be serrated orotherwise profiled, in order, in this way, apart from having the entirematerial finished in some distinctive colour, to obtain special marks ofidentity proving the genuineness of the stopper.

The cap stopper is assembled quite simply in that the seal insert 8 ispressed into the stopper cap 7 from underneath, the great elasticity, orsoft pliability respectively, of the seal insert together with thespringiness of the lock tags 11 making it an easy matter for the sealinsert to be pressed in. When the sealing inserts flange 15 has beenpressed inwards over the ends of the lock tags 11 the sealing insert 8,by virtue of the lock tags springing back into their rest position asrepresented in FIGURE 2, is perfectly secured against falling out of thestopper cap.

If the sealing insert 8 is intended to be secured not only againstfalling out but also to be fixed in its ultimate position on thering-sector shaped flange sections 12a to 12d of the stopper cap 7,then, at those points along the inner facing of the cap casing 9, atwhich the sprung lock tags are located, axial lengthwise ribs are formed(cf. FIGURE 2 left hand side) which extend approximately to the bottomedge of the sealing inserts flange 15.

When the seal insert is being fitted it is pressed into the stopper capas far as the stop on the flange sections 12a to 12d, its edge snappinginto place behind the top projection of the axial lengthwise ribs 9a.

The fixing of the sealing insert by the axial lengthwise ribs 911 isespecially recommended when the sealing insert is equipped with a hollowteat in accordance with FIG- URE 5, which, for a machine fitting of thecap stopper, should be aligned axially as accurately as possible.

The cap stoppers assembled in this way can therefore be shaken up asmuch as possible during transport without there being any cause forconcern; the sealing inserts will stay located exactly concentrically inthe stopper caps 7.

It is a very easy matter to seal a bottle using the cap stopper inaccordance with the invention; the stopper, with its seal insert, isplaced on the mouth of the bottle and, upon axial pressure beingexerted, it is brought into the locked position as represented in FIGURE2.

In order to enable the lock tags to snap-to behind the bead 2 there hasto be a slight amount of play between the circular lug 5 on the bottleneck and the bottom edge of the stopper cap 7s casing 9, since thespring tags are not able to snap into place until the stopper cap is ina position slightly lower than that depicted in FIGURE 1 in which thespring tags have already snapped into position. This slight differencein height is easily compensated for by the elasticity of the circularring rib 16.

The injection bottle stopper as represented in FIG- URE 5 isconstructed, basically, in the same manner as the cap stopper inaccordance with FIGURES l to 3. However, the sealing insert 8 has beenprovided with a projecting hollow teat 23 which, near its tip 24, isexecuted with at least partially reduced wall thickness. At this pointthe hollow teat can be cut open so as to enable access to be gained tothe contents of the bottle.

FIGURES l to 4 show clearly that, because of the fragility of thespring-hard material used for the manufacture of the stopper cap 7, thestopper cap can only be released by destroying this cap. In order for itto be released, the sprung lock tags 11 would in fact all have to beforced apart simultaneously; the closed casing 9 of the stopper cap 7makes it impossible however for the tags to be pulled back from theoutside. Nor does the slight amount of free clearance between the loweredge 10 of the stopper caps casing and the lug 5 on the bottle neckpermit of the introduction of any special implement from underneath.Since the wall of the casing 9 is, furthermore, substantially weakenedat a few points on account of the axial notches 22' or other inner orouter grooves or flutes, the cap will break open at these points ofintended rupture at every attempt at an unauthorized opening of thestopper.

The forms of execution of the subject of the invention as represented inthe drawings are simple press-on caps which are pressed on to the bottleneck in an axial direction from above.

It is howeveras should be readily obviouspossible, without unduedifiiculty, for the stopper cap to be designed as a screw cap too, byshaping on to the bottom edge 10 of the cap casing 9 an extracylindrical extension casing complete with internal thread and for thatportion of the bottle neck 1 which is located below the widened conicalsection 4, to be given an external thread.

Such an extension 25 of the cap is represented on the right hand side ofFIGURE 5 in broken lines, as is too the thread 26 on the bottle neck.

A screw stopper such as this can, it is true, be screwed on to thebottles mouth 1 until such time as the sprung lock tags 11 snap intoplace behind the circumferential head 2 on the mouth of the bottle;however it can only be screwed off again by destroying the cap, sincethe tags, because they are latched against the sharply recessedunderside 3 of the bead 2, are unable to be compressed again but,instead, they burst open the stopper cap 7s superficies 9 at the pointsof intended rupture.

Finally, FIGURE 6 shows how a lock tag capdesigned similarly to thestopper cap as already describedcan be used as a guarantee ring" for awashing bottle which, for its part, can be stoppered by a screw cap withan elastic sealing insert. 0n the bottle neck 1, above the collar 2constituting the catch for the sprung lock tags 11' there is formed ascrew thread 27 on to which a screw cap 2Sof familiar type ofexecution-can be screwed which holds a sealing insert 29, suitable forwashing bottles, with a hemispherically protruding hollow nipple 30.

The screw cap bears with its outer head 31 on the parts of the flange 12of the stopper cap 7, or else it is held firm by these parts of theflange 12' after the sprung lock tags 11 have snapped into place.

If the outer diameter of the screw caps outer collar 31 is not madesubstantially larger than the outer diameter of the collar 2 on thebottle neck, then it will be possible, first of all, to screw on thescrew cap 28 and then push the stopper cap '7, with its sprung locktags, over the screw cap until its lock tags snap into place behind thecollar 2'. It is however also possible for the screw cap to be pressed,first of all, into the stopper cap 7 from the inside, and then for thewhole to be screwed on to the bottle neck, the stopper cap 7constituting the guarantee ring being pressed into its locked positionin the process.

The screw cap 28 can only be released by destroying the guarantee ringwhich will burst open, from the inside, at its points of intendedrupture.

I claim:

1. A closure for a bottle having a collar projecting radially outwardsfrom the bottle neck, comprising a sealing member adapted to seal thebottle having an elastic tubular portion adapted to fit into the mouthof the bottle neck, and having a radial flange portion formed integrallywith the tubular portion overlying the top of the mouth of the neck,with said radial flange having an elastic annular rib adapted to engagethe top of the bottle neck, a cap integrally formed of hard resilientplastic and comprising a flat annular top portion adapted to overlie theflange of the flange of the sealing member, an unin terrnpted skirtportion having an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of thecollar on the bottle neck and depending from the outer margin of theannular top portion, a plurality of locking tags projecting inwardly andupwardly from the inner surface of the lower part of said skirt portionin spaced relation from the annular top portion so as to be able to snapbelow said collar when the cap is pressed down over the bottle mouth tosecure the sealing member thereon, said annular top portion of theclosure cap having gaps formed therein always vertically above each ofthe locking tags and having a width corresponding to the width of thetags.

2. A closure for a bottle according to claim 1, wherein said sealingmember projects upward centrally of the elastic tubular portion to form:a tapered hollow stopper, said tapered hollow stopper forming a topportion at its upper end with said top having an annular ridge.

3. A closure for a bottle according to claim 1, wherein said sealingmember along said radial flange portion is provided with notches alongthe outer circumferential edge thereof, and said skirt portion of saidcap along its upper inner surface is provided with strips projectingradially inward and in corresponding alignment with said notches.

4. A closure for a bottle according to claim 1, wherein said pluralityof locking tags are elongated and flat and project upward and inwardlyin length.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,077,985 Bukolt Apr. 20, 1937 2,423,582 Coleman July 8, 1947 2,643,015Sofier June 23, 1953 2,886,198 Herter May 12, 1959

1. A CLOSURE FOR A BOTTLE HAVING A COLLAR PROJECTING RADIALLY OUTWARDSFROM THE BOTTLE NECK, COMPRISING A SEALING MEMBER ADAPTED TO SEAL THEBOTTLE HAVING AN ELASTIC TUBULAR PORTION ADAPTED TO FIT INTO THE MOUTHOF THE BOTTLE NECK, AND HAVING A RADIAL FLANGE PORTION FORMED INTEGRALLYWITH THE TUBULAR PORTION OVERLYING THE TOP OF THE MOUTH OF THE NECK,WITH SAID RADIAL FLANGE HAVING AN ELASTIC ANNULAR RIB ADAPTED TO ENGAGETHE TOP OF THE BOTTLE NECK, A CAP INTEGRALLY FORMED OF HARD RESILIENTPLASTIC AND COMPRISING A FLAT ANNULAR TOP PORTION ADAPTED TO OVERLIE THEFLANGE OF THE FLANGE OF THE SEALING MEMBER, AN UNINTERRUPTED SKIRTPORTION HAVING AN INNER DIAMETER GREATER THAN THE OUTER DIAMETER OF THECOLLAR ON THE BOTTLE NECK AND DEPENDING FROM THE OUTER MARGIN OF THEANNULAR TOP PORTION, A PLURALITY OF LOCKING TAGS PROJECTING INWARDLY ANDUPWARDLY FROM THE INNER SURFACE OF THE LOWER PART OF SAID SKIRT PORTIONIN SPACED RELATION FROM THE ANNULAR TOP PORTION SO AS TO BE ABLE TO SNAPBELOW SAID COLLAR WHEN THE CAP IS PRESSED DOWN OVER THE BOTTLE MOUTH TOSECURE THE SEALING MEMBER THEREON, SAID ANNULAR TOP PORTION OF THECLOSURE CAP HAVING GAPS FORMED THEREIN ALWAYS VERTICALLY ABOVE EACH OFTHE LOCKING TAGS AND HAVING A WIDTH CORRESPONDING TO THE WIDTH OF THETAGS.